Spurs hire WNBA star Becky Hammon as assistant

SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs have hired WNBA star Becky Hammon as an assistant coach.

The Spurs made the announcement Tuesday. Hammon plans to retire from the San Antonio Stars after this season. She joins South Carolina assistant Lisa Boyer, who served on John Lucas's staff in Cleveland in 2001-02, as women to coach in the NBA.

Hammon spent some time around the Spurs during last season's run to the championship, and coach Gregg Popovich says she made a strong impression. Popovich says he's "confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs."

It's the latest trailblazing move for the Spurs, who hired European coaching legend Ettore Messina to join Popovich's staff earlier this summer.